The Rightful Mistress
by MaeglinRumil
Summary: Sakura is up against someone who claims to be the rightful card mistress! COMPLETE!
1. chapter 1

The Lost Cards-Chapter 1  
(....)=author talking  
'......'=character thinking  
"..."=character talking  
  
The sky is clear and the moon is full as the Card Mistress and her friends sleep in their beds, unaware of the dangers that are gathering in their hometown.....   
************  
"Ohayo, Sakura! Hurry up or you'll be late!" Fujitakak, Sakura's father said from the kitchen. As usual, she was late for school. Everyday she would wake up and rush out the door. 'I wish that one day she would actually wake up early enough to eat her breakfast.' Fujitakak thought to himself. 'Oh well...I can't have everything.'  
I could at least try to get her to eat. He asked as he said in his head. "Do you want something to eat first?"   
"Iie, I gotta go! Bye!" He heard the door slam as she ran out the house. "Oniichan! Wait for me!" He smiled.  
**********  
"Ohayo, Sakura!" Sakura looked up from her seat to her best friend.   
"Ohayo, Madison!" The she noticed that Li Syaoran walked in. 'He looks so kawaii! But then he always does.' She sighed. 'I should tell him... that I like him, but everytime we get close, I feel...frozen and too scared to say something.' She sighed again.   
"Sakura? Daijoubu desu ka?" Madison's voice brought her back to reality. He doesn't even notice me.   
"Sakura?" Madison asked as she put her face right in front of Sakura's. 'Wow, she really must like him a lot!' Tomoyo thought. 'She can't even hear me.' "So...aren't you going to say hi to Syaoran?" She asked mischeviously.   
"Nani? Oh, sorry Madison...I was just..." Sakura trailed off.   
"Why don't you just tell him that you like him?" Madison wanted to know. "What?! How did you...?" Madison smiled... "I know many things. Just go talk to him. He looks kind of bummed out. You should cheer him up"   
Sakura looked at Syaoran. He did look a bit distant. Like he was staring off into space. 'Ok, well, I might as well go talk to him, since the teacher isn't even here.'   
"Ohayo class!" Their teacher just walked in. Sakura stumbled to her desk and sat down. 'I'll talk to Syaoran later,' she promised herself.  
*****************  
'Hmm... She looks so dreamy. Her soft hair...and her emerald eyes...I could sit here and stare at her for hours and not get tired. She's soo beautiful.' He was so busy staring at her that he didn't hear the teacher ask him a question. "Sumimasen, Syaoran? LI SYAORAN!!!" She yelled. He shook himself from his dreaming and looked at the teacher. "Good, I have your attention then." She didn't wait for him to reply. "What is the answer to question 16?"   
"I...um..." He stumbled over his words. He was so busy thinking of Sakura last night that he forgot all his homework. Then he noticed that Sakura was writing something on a slip of paper. She passed it to him and it took him only a few seconds to realize that she was giving him the answer. He glanced at the writing then answered the teacher's question and she seemed satisfied. She turned back around to the blackboard and started writing the homework for tomorrow.   
'I have to remember to thank her.' He thought as he looked at her. He saw her looking at him and then she winked then smiled and started copying the homework.  
'I think I'm dreaming! Did Sakura just wink at me?! Nah! It couldn't be. She likes Yukito...I think I'm starting to imagine things. I should copy down the homework. I'll thank Sakura later.' But just her name made him feel all dreamy. "Okaeri Syaoran." He heard the teacher say to him.   
"Nani?!" 'What is she talking about?!' He thought.   
"Good of you to come back to reality."   
"Oh. Gomen." He apologized.  
She turned back to the blackboard, but not before warning him. "Copy down the homework, Syaoran. There will be no excuses if you don't get them done."   
"Hai!" He replied.   
*************  
DDDDIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!!  
"Class dismissed!" Their teacher yelled out, but everyone had already ran out of the class.   
Syaoran watched as Sakura packed up all the books she needed from her locker. He was staring so intently that he didn't notice that she was watching him.   
  
'Hmm... What is Syaoran doing?' She looks right into his eyes, but it seemed like he didn't even see her. 'I wonder what he's thinking right now. It's probably very interesting if he doesn't even see me here. Or maybe he's just ignoring me...' Sakura sighed. Even after all the Clow Cards were captured, Syaoran was still mean to her. Even after she saved him from detention in class. 'Well, thats no reason for me to be mean to him.'   
Frowning slightly, she tapped him on the shoulder and looked him right in the eye again so that he would see her this time. "Syaoran? Daijoubu desu ka?"  
  
'Hmm?' Syaoran felt someone tapping him on the shoulder. He blinked back in reality and right in front of him was...SAKURA?! 'Oh my god! She's looking right at me! And she's so pretty!' "Syaoran? Daijoubu desu ka?" She asked him. "A..a...Aa...Ano...Daijobu desu..." He turned so red that Sakura thought he was sick.   
"What's wrong? Are you sick?" She asked him.   
"Oh...I...um...nothing....I'mnotsick." He said really fast.   
"Oh...ok..." Sakura looked a bit upset. 'She knows I'm lying. She looks a bit sad...You baka! How could you make her sad?!' He yelled at himself. 'I better do something to cheer her up.' "Um...doyouwannagogeticecream?" He asked. She looked at him confused. It was then that Syaoran realized that he said it too fast and she didn't catch a word.  
"Gomen, do you want to get some ice cream? I'll treat." He said. He didn't know what came over him. He never would've got the courage to ask her and he didn't know how he did just then.   
'Syaoran is asking me to get ice cream?! Maybe we do have a chance. I hope so.' Sakura thought. "Um...sure..." Sakura said blushing.   
There was silence as they walked over to the place that sells ice cream. Syaoran looked over at her. Her emerald eyes were looking at the ground, as if all the answers could be found there. He looked a bit closer and saw her blushing a bit. 'Nani? Why would she be blushing? Could it be because...she likes me? Nah! That would never happen. Why would she like me, if I was the one trying to get the Clow Cards from her? I was always so mean to her, but she still treats me as a really good friend.'   
He decided that now was the time to tell her how he felt. But as he opened his mouth to say the words, he lost his courage.  
"Um...Sakura? Can I ask you something?" Sakura looked at him, startled when he broke the silence between them. "Sure."   
"Ano...why did you help me?"   
"I... I didn't want you to get in trouble." She looked back at the ground, blushing a bit more.   
"Arigato Gozaimasu."   
"Don't worry about it." She said smiling slightly. They were silent again, as they got their ice cream. Then they walked to the park and sat down under a sakura tree. The flowers were at full bloom and Syaoran thought they were beautiful. 'Not as beautiful as Sakura, though.' He reached up and broke off a tiny branch.  
"What are you doing?" Sakura asked softly.   
"Hold still." Syaoran told her. He took the branch and tucked it behind her ear. Her hair felt so silky in his hand that he had to resist hard to not stroke it. She looked at him and blushed. Then, he suddenly realized what he had done, and he blushed even more then Sakura had.   
"Arigato," she said smiling again as she licked her ice cream. She looked so cute when she smiled.   
**************  
"Oi! Sakura!" They looked up from each other and saw Tomoyo running towards them. "Opps. Gomen." She said breathlessely as she saw who Sakura was with. Sakura and Syaoran both turned red as Tomoyo saw them together. 'Aww...they're so kawaii together!' "Gomen, Kero-chan was looking for you."   
"Really? Nani?"  
But before Tomoyo could answer her, water dripped from the sky. It started to rain!  
"But, thats not right! It's May. Why would it rain?" Sakura asked Syaoran. "Be careful, Sakura. This seems to be like a card."   
"I thought we caught all the cards?!" Sakura said, shocked that there were more cards.   
Suddenly Kero stuck his head out of the backpack on Tomoyo's back. "Thats what I wanted to talk to you about. It seems that someone is controlling the Clow Cards to leave Sakura."   
"NANI??!! Someone?! Which means I have to find and catch them all over again? This is so unfair!" Sakura wailed. She was almost close to tears.   
Syaoran couldn't take seeing Sakura like this. 'I promised myself that I would protect and help her. And I will. I will help her capture all her cards once more.' "Sakura, don't worry. We'll get them back." As he said that, he put his arm around her. Sakura sniffed and buried her head into Syaoran's chest. Syaoran stiffened. It wasn't because he didn't want Sakura close to her. It was just that Kero and Tomoyo was watching them.   
'I don't care. I won't let anything happen to her.' He wrapped his arms around her tightly. In the corner of his eye, he could see Tomoyo smiling. He heard Sakura sniff again, then she softly pushed Syaoran away. "Ok, I'm ready." She smiled at Syaoran and his heart almost melted. Kirei...  
Then she took out her wand. It had changed as she grew and instead of a bird's head sort of thing, on the tip was a star in a circle.   
"Key that holds   
the power of the stars,   
show your true form.   
Under the compact,   
I, Sakura, command you,   
RELEASE!"  
She took out a card. "Fly! Release and dispell!" The wand suddenly sprouted wings. She climbed onto it. "Syaoran, come on!" She was talking to him. She wanted HIM to climb on with her. Then he saw that she was serious, so he climbed behind her and held on to her waist. She was shivering from the cold. "Here," he took off his sweater and put it around her shoulders. "Arigato, Syaoran," she said as she looked at him behind her.   
"Matte," Kero interrupted. Syaoran had forgotten that Tomoyo and Kero were still there. "You'll need these to capture the rest of the cards. And to stop the people who are controlling them." Kero dived into Tomoyo's bag and took out a tiny bag that looked like it held cellphones. "My cards! Thanks Kero-chan! Kiosukete Ne!" And thy were off.  
Sakura led them off the ground and she patrolled the area to see if any cards were in sight. She then remembered that she wouldn't be able to see them, but she could sense them. She gripped her wand tighter and closed her eyes. "Syaoran, you'll have to direct us for a while. I have to look for the cards." He was going to protest but he noticed that had already drifted into her trance, so he held onto her tightly and ignored the joy that ran through him as he did.   
  
In her trance, Sakura was searching for her cards. The cards that someone had dared to take from her. It took her a long time but she caught them all and with Kero and Syaoran's help, she had even passed the Final Judgement from Yue and had gained his friendship as well as his protection. But now, someone threatened to take their friendship away. The cards were her friends. They liked having Sakura as their mistress and enjoyed her company a lot. 'They would never leave me for someone else.' Sakura thought to herself.   
"You are wrong, of course. If they did trust you then why would they have left you?!" A mocking voice came from behind her.   
'What? Who was this person?' She asked herself. "Its no use. I can hear you even if you were thinking to youself." She turned and behind her was a girl. About the same age as she was. She had a black and purple robe on and she had long red hair.   
"Dare?!" Sakura asked. Her voice shaking.   
"Humph...allow me to introduce myself. I am Mioki. I am the rightful Clow Mistress. I was the one who was suppose to capture all the cards and be the most powerful sorceress in the world. But instead, you took my place. You beat me to the cards and you, being the baka that you are, let them escape. Which gave no choice to Kero so he had to make you a cardcaptor."  
"Sou desu ka?" Sakura asked her. "Then why did I become the Clow Mistress? I passed the Final Judgement from Yue and I gained all the cards' trust. They trust me and they obey me as the Clow Mistress."   
"Honto ni?" She smiled evilly. "We'll see about that. Firey! Attack!" Sakura didn't have a chance as The Firey card flew out of her tiny bag and started to attack her. She pulled out a card. "Shield! Release and dispell! Protect me from Firey!" The shield card formed a bubble around Sakura but not before Firey let out two big blasts of fire. "AHHH!" Sakura rammed into a wall. 


	2. chapter 2

Chapter 2  
(....)=author talking  
'......'=character thinking  
"..."=character talking  
  
Outside, Syaoran noticed that Sakura was spending a bit too much time in her trance. Then he saw that she seemed to be getting burned and she wasn't breathing anymore. "Sakura! Sakura! Wake up! Sakura!" He shook her. It didn't work.   
  
'Syaoran! He's calling me.' She thought. She felt really weak. A lot of damage was done to her and she didn't know how long she could keep taking in the attacks. The shield didn't seem to work much against the fire. The other person, Mioki, was strong. The cards that she took seemed so much stronger then Sakura's. 'I can't take it anymore. Syaoran, gomen.'   
Before she fainted, she heard in the distance, an evil laugh. "HAHA!!! You can never beat me! I will finish you, and then your pathetic friend Syaoran, and then, the world!!"   
"Iie." She said so softly that no one heard. "I will defeat you." She whispered. Then she fainted.  
  
'What is happening in there?' She was getting worse each second. He didn't have much time before she would...He didn't want to think about it. The snow seemed to have stopped before anyone got hurt. But he didn't care about that. All he cared about, was...Sakura.  
He scanned for a place to land where no one would see them and he did. Then he took out his sword and splashed Sakura with water. It seemed to be working, because she started breathing again. He decided to bring her back to his place. He took her wand and they flew to his apartment.  
*************  
"Tomoyo! Some guy is on the phone for you!" Tomoyo heard her mother yell from the kitchen. "Arigatou!" She yelled back as she took the phone. "Moshi moshi! Syaoran?" It was him. "Ano...I, uh..." He didn't know how to start. So he just blurted out everything that happened. He asked Tomoyo if she would call Sakura's dad and tell him and Touya that Sakura was spending the night at Tomoyo's house. "She's alive, but barely. I don't know what happened in her dream, but something did."   
"Hai!" Tomoyo answered. She was worried, but she knew that Syaoran like Sakura and wouldn't treat her mean. "Take care of her. I'll take care of everything else. It's a good thing that tomorrow there isn't any school." She said relieved. Syaoran said thanks and that he would and they hung up.   
'Oh, Sakura. Why do you always get into these things?' Tomoyo wondered. But she knew. It was because Sakura was the Clow Mistress. It was her job to keep everyone from harm. Even if it meant sacrificing her own life. 'I'll go visit her at Syaoran's house tomorrow.'   
  
Syaoran carried Sakura up to his room and laid her on his bed. She was light and he was strong, so it wasn't that hard. Then he looked at her. Most of her arms and legs were covered with burns. He went into the kitchen and took out a jar. It held some salve that would heal burns. He took his jacket off from her shoulders and smeared some of the salve over the burns. Her skin was smooth and she felt so cold.  
When he finished, he covered her in his blanket and got a wet cloth to put over her forehead. Please Sakura. Wake up. I can't live without you. Don't leave me. But she didn't know that. She didn't know that he cared so much for her. He would anything for her. Even at the risk of losing his life.   
He looked at her on the bed. She seemed so small. So fragile. So...beautiful... He bent down and kissed the back of her hand. He pulled up a chair, held her hand and slept by her side until the next morning.   
*****************  
'Nani? Where am I?' Sakura woke up. She didn't seem to remember this...room that she was in. It was bright green. The room was plain and clean. A few drawers and a closet. Beside her was a sword. 'A sword?!' She looked to the other side of her and was surprised to see Syaoran. And he was holding her hand. She blushed. But he was still sleeping. She quietly took her hand out of Syaoran's grasp and tried to climb out of his bed.   
The pain was not all gone, but she didn't feel as hurt as last night when she was attacked. On the drawer also was a little jar of salve. 'Hm...I must have fainted and Syaoran took me to his apartment. He was still sleeping. He's so...handsome! No wonder all the girls like him....including me... But he's not mine.' Sadly, Sakura placed the blanket over his shoulders then after kissing his forehead, she walked into his kitchen to make breakfast.   
  
'Hmm...' As Syaoran woke up, he could smell the delicious smell of pancakes coming from his kitchen. 'Matte...' He opened his eyes and sure enough, Sakura wasn't in the bed. Then he felt that he was warm. He looked down and he thought. Sakura must have woken up before me and placed this blanket over me to keep me warm. He smiled. Just the thought of her made him all dreamy.   
"Hoe?" Sakura popped her head into his room. "Syaoran! You're awake!" She smiled at him. He blushed. "I got breakfast ready! Come on! I made pancakes." She smiled again.   
He followed her into the dining room. She had set up everything and there on two plates were big fluffy pancakes, topped with syrup. "Mmhmmm...that looks good." He said to her. "Go ahead, try it!" She said, smiling at him again. How could he resist? He cut a piece and out it in his mouth. Sakura was watching him intently. He smiled at her. "Its great!" She smiled even more. Then she blushed.  
"Ano... I, uh...Arigato Gozaimasu." She said, still blushing. "No problem." Syaoran replied softly. "You would've done the same for me." They smiled at each other. Then Syaoran moved beside her and leaned forward... and they kissed. They were both nervous, but they kissed the other gently. Lightly.   
Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "Arigatou..." She whispered softly. But Syaoran heard her. 'Thank you? I should be thanking you....' He brightened up. He hugged her back and said, "Don't ever do that again."   
"Arigatou." She said again. They stayed in each others' arms until they heard a doorbell ring and then Tomoyo and Kero's voice. "She's here. I know it. I can sense it." Kero said to Tomoyo. "Of course she's here. Why else would we be here?" Tomoyo replied.   
Sakura and Syaoran looked at each other and smiled. They went to open the door together. "Tomoyo!" "Sakura!" They hugged each other. "I was so worried! Daijoubu desu ka?" She asked her. "Hai. Thanks to Syaoran." Sakura gave him a hug.   
"Ahh..." Tomoyo looked at both of them and smiled. 'They must have told each other about how they felt. They do look really kawaii.'  
"Sakura!" Kero popped out of Tomoyo's bag. "Kero! I'm so glad to see you!" She hugged him. "Oww... Can't.... breath.." He tried to escape from her embrace. "Opps. Gomen." She let him go.   
"It's okay. Sakura, what happened last night?"   
"Ano..." She looked at Syaoran.   
"Come in first." He said. They walked into his living room and sat down as he closed the front door. Sakura told them everything. About the new girl who claimed to be the rightful Clow Mistress. And about how she took The Firey card and attacked her with it.  
"That can't be! You are the right Clow Mistress and Syaoran is the right Clow Master. There is no mistake. You were the one to pass the Final Judgement. No one but the Clow Mistress/Master can pass. There is no mistake." He kept saying. But Sakura knew him well enough that he was hiding something. "Kero. Tell me the truth. Was I really supposed to be the Clow Mistress?" Kero looked around. He looked for something that would get him out of the room. But there was no escape.   
"You stuffed animal! Tell us!" Syaoran suddenly burst out. 'I care about Sakura. And I'll do anything to protect her. But that can't happen if Kero keeps secrets from her.'   
"Kero. I'm not only your mistress. I'm also your friend. You can tell me everything." Sakura said softly.   
Kero looked at the ground. "At the beginning, we thought there was a mistake. It was supposed to be someone else that was to capture the Clow cards other then the gaki here." At that, Syaoran glared at him, but didn't interrupt. "This girl, Mioki. She was supposed to be the cardcaptor. But the more we watched her, the more evil she became. We then decided that she was not the one. And we chose you instead."   
He looked at her. "We decided that you were the right one. You cared not for the power, but for the cards. They loved you and you treated them well. You never abused your power and used it only for other people, not for our own benefit. You've put your life on the line more then once for others. We knew that you were the one we should have picked. But how Mioki knew that she was supposed to be the cardcaptor, I wouldn't know. She should've known. It's not possible!"  
Sakura was shocked. Someone was abusing and using the cards that she had caught. She deserved to be their master, not some other girl. Fire flared in her eyes. "I will get you back, Clow Cards. I won't let anyone control you. I swear it." She gritted her teeth.  
Then she noticed that Syaoran, Tomoyo and Kero were looking at her. Wow. She sure has energy. Syaoran remarked to himself. "Opps...~hehe~" She smiled at them. "Gomen, I was just caught in the moment."   
"Daijobou." They replied.   
Then Sakura sensed something. "Hold on." She listened further. "Syaoran-kun, do you feel that?" Syaoran stood still for a moment. "Hai. It's a Clow Card."   
"Let's go!" Tomoyo yelled out.   
**************** 


	3. chapter 3

Chapter 3  
(....)=author talking  
'......'=character thinking  
"..."=character talking  
  
Once they got outside, they could see that something was wrong. Houses were being flooded. There was so much water all over the place that they didn't know where to find the cards.   
"Its too powerful to be just one card. It must be two." Keroberos said. "Somehow, I sense them in there." Sakura pointed to a giant whirlpool in the middle of the town. They flew closer. "You're right! They're in there!" As Syaoran spoke, a jet of water sprayed out and hit him straight in the chest. "AHHH!" He yelled as he fell off Sakura's wand and into the big pool of water. It was so sudden that he lost his breath and started to drown. 'Sakura. Gomen. I love you!' He thought before he lost his consiousness.  
"SYAORAN!" Sakura screamed. She rushed down after him. She dived into the water.   
"Sakura! No!" Keroberos yelled. But it was too late. Sakura had already jumped in after Syaoran. Now all he and Tomoyo could do was wait. While Tomoyo was taping this, she saw a jet of water come straight towards Kero and her. "Kero! Abunai!" Kero jumped up right on time but the water kept going for them. They were fast, but Kero was faster. He managed to dodge them all without losing any breath.   
Sakura held her breath as she dived after Syaoran. 'Don't let him die! Please, don't die Syaoran! I love you! I can't live without you! DON'T LEAVE ME!!!!' Water started to threaten her, long jets of it were pulling onto her hands, making her sink further down. She started to loose her grip on her wand. 'NO! I won't let you! MIOKI! I will get revenge!!!' She thought.   
She swam faster and caught up with Syaoran. He was unconscious. She held him in her arms. 'Syaoran! Don't do this to me.' She thought as she held her wand. "Bubble! Release and dispell! Form a bubble around us! Release!" She yelled in the water. all that came out was a few bubbles, but her card had heard her.   
A bubble formed and Sakura could breath again. She started to give CPR to Syaoran. He coughed up a whole ton of water. "Breath, Syaoran! Please, breath!" Sakura cried out. Finally, he did. He took little breaths of air. Sakura sighed in relief.   
As the bubble reached the surface of the water, she could see that Tomoyo and Keroberos was in trouble. Well, not exactly. Kero didn't have much trouble dodging the water, but Sakura could see that he was getting tired. "Kero! Tomoyo!" She yelled at them. They turned their head. "Sakura!" They both cried out! But as they did, water sprayed them and Kero lost his balance. They started to fall.  
Sakura took out her wand. "Float! Release and dispell!" It caught Tomoyo and Kero right before they were going to fall in the water. "Take care of Syaoran while I take care of the cards!" She yelled. She handed Tomoyo Syaoran's limb body, knowing that she will take good care of him.   
"Kiosukete ne, Sakura!" Tomoyo yelled to her. She looked at Tomoyo and smiled. "Of course." Then she turned her attention to the whirlpool.   
What card is it? She asked herself after she closed her eyes. Wait! I know! She opened her eyes wide.   
"Water!  
Release and Dispell  
Return to your powers confined!   
The card returned to her hand. When it weas captured, everything returned to normal. Everyone had gone to sleep and no one would know anything about what happened except for the people with magic.   
"Whew....that was close." She said to herself. Then she remembered Syaoran. She flew back to Kero and her friends. He was breathing. "He's fine. Just asleep." Tomoyo told Sakura when she asked how he was.   
Between them, they carried Syaoran into Tomoyo's house. Tomoyo called her bodyguards to get a room ready as they did that. They laid the sleeping Syaoran on the bed and covered him with blankets. "I'll stay here to watch over him." Sakura told Tomoyo. "You go to bed." "Okay." Tomoyo replied.   
Kero had flew back to Sakura's house, which he happily snuggled into his bed in her drawer.  
Sakura curled up in a sofa that Tomoyo had gotten her bodyguards to put in the room that Syaoran was in. But before she feel asleep, she whispered, "Ashiteru, Syaoran." and she kissed him. "Oyasumi," and with that, she fell asleep.   
**************** 


	4. chapter 4

Chapter 4  
(....)=author talking  
'......'=character thinking  
"..."=character talking  
  
"Dare?!" Sakura asked a figure cloaked in the darkness. "You know who it is. I'm the rightful Clow Mistress!" The figure stepped up. "Mioki!" Sakura growled. "Yes."   
"You are going to pay for what you did to Syaoran!" She yelled at Mioki. "Me?" Mioki put on an innocent face. Then she grinned evilly. "I did not do anything to your precious Syaoran. You're 'trusty' cards did that!" Then she laughed.   
"You won't be laughing anymore, once you figure out who the cards will obey."   
Mioki glared at her then laughed again. "HAHAHA! Of course I won't be laughing!" She said.   
"Nani?" Sakura asked, confused.   
"I won't have time to laugh! I'll be busy taking over the world!" Mioki continued.   
"I'll never let you do that!" Sakura took out her wand and a card. "Release! Sword!" She then gripped the sword with two hands and ran towards Mioki. They started to fight. They were both equally match.   
'Kuso! I won't let her win! I am the rightful Clow Mistress!' Mioki thought. Then she grinned. "~hehe~" Sakura stopped and looked at her for a second, startled. In that second, Mioki took out a card and commanded it release. It was the Firey Card! It started to shoot fireballs at Sakura.   
At first, she was able to dodge them all, but then Mioki took out another card. It was the Wood Card. It held Sakura as the fireblast came towards her. She shut her eyes. 'Mioki might be strong, but I am more powerful. She is evil. And Good will always win against evil.' "You will never win!" She yelled out.   
Suddenly a beam of light came out of Sakura's body. It engulfed everything. Sakura heard Syaoran's voice, "Sakura! Sakura, wake up! Please!" She shook her head and opened her eyes and saw Syaoran's caring brown eyes, inches before hers. "N-nani?" She asked, sitting up from the sofa.   
"You're alright!" He cried, hugging her. "Wha-what happened?" She asked in a shaky voice. "I don't know, but you were screaming in your sleep. You were saying something about the you being the rightful Clow Mistress."  
Suddenly it all came back to Sakura. She sank back down in the sofa, breathing hard. "Sakura? Daijoubu desu ka?"   
"I'm...I'm fine." 'I think. But it's better that he didn't worry.' Syaoran saw the look on her face. 'She's anything but ok.' He realized. "Sakura, Sakura. Look at me." She did as he asked. "If something's happened, you can tell me, you know that. Right?" She looked into his eyes. 'They're so caring. So loving. Of course I can tell him anything. Anything and everything.'   
She took a deep breath. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. "Sakura?" Syaoran asked her expectantly, but softly. She burst out into tears. "I-I..." Syaoran took her into his arms. "Shh...its okay now. Everything's fine." She started crying even harder, but then she pushed away softly. "Its...Mioki. She was in my dream... and... she threatened to kill me and you and then take over the world." Syaoran couldn't find anything to say.   
He was speechless for a moment, then he said, "I'm not gonna let her do that. She'll never take over the world. And I won't let her kill you. Sakura," He looked at her, "she will never be Clow Mistress. We will fight her, together." Sakura sniffed, then brushed away the tears and nodded. "Come on, its time for breakfast."   
"Okay," Sakura answered, but as she was trying to get off the sofa, Syaoran noticed all the burns that ran down Sakura's legs, just like the day before. His anger at Mioki flared. 'You hurt the one I love, I will get you for that! That's a promise!'  
"Itai..." Sakura said. 'She can't even walk.' Syaoran sweept her in his arms and carried her to the kitchen, where Tomoyo's mom was making breakfast. "Konnichi wa. You must be Syaoran. I'm Tomoyo's mom. I heard about last night. Daijoubu desu ka?"  
"Doozo Yoroshiku. Aa Daijoubu." Then Sonomi (Tomoyo's mom) noticed Sakura in his arms. "Ahh...I see." She smiled at them both. Sakura and Syaoran both blushed. "Sit! Breakfast is almost ready." She smiled again. Then Tomoyo walked in. She saw Sakura in Syaoran's arms. She smiled. Sakura and Syaoran turned even more red. (If thats possible.)   
"Ohayo Sakura, Syaoran." She smiled again. They looked at the ground. "O-ohayo, Tomoyo.." They replied together. "Syaoran? Are you okay now?" She asked him. "Ya..ya..I'm fine. I'm more worried about Sakura though." Tomoyo looked confused. She looked at Sakura. 'She does seem kinda sad.' "Sakura?" She snapped out of her trance. "Nani? Oh, I'm fine." Sakura replied. But deep inside, Tomoyo knew she wasn't fine. "Okay," she replied uncertainly.  
"Later." Syaoran mouthed. Tomoyo nodded.   
Sonomi knew that something was up, or Sakura wouldn't be in Syaoran's arms. "Eat up! I have to get to work." She said cheerfully. They nodded.   
"Bye, Okaasan." Tomoyo said, smiling. "Bye!" Then Sonomi ran out the door.   
"Syaoran, aren't your arms getting tired?" Tomoyo asked him. "Well....no..." He looked at Sakura who was staring at her hands, uncertain. 'She must really be upset.' Tomoyo thought. "You guys, eat. I'll be right back." Syaoran nodded, but Sakura just stared at her hands.   
He sat down when Tomoyo left the room and tried to get Sakura to eat something, but she wouldn't. "Sakura, you need your energy if you want to beat Mioki." She looked up at him. He stared into her eyes and saw that they were bleak. They weren't the beautiful emerald eyes that Syaoran loved looking into. They were gray.   
"Sakura, what's wrong?" He didn't know what was wrong. She's never been like this. Never! She shrugged and looked down. "Sakura, don't do this to me. I care for you too much." Tears started to run from his eyes. "I can't live without you. Don't do this. Don't do this to me..." Syaoran started to cry.   
Sakura was shocked to see him like this. Syaoran had never cried before. She hugged him close to her. "Syaoran. Please...don't cry. I care for you too... Don't cry, because of me..." He pulled her closer. "Please...don't." She wiped away his tears.   
Suddenly, he lifted her up. "Come on, eat up." She looked into his eyes, nodded then smiled slightly. Finally. The emerald colour came back into her eyes. They began to eat. Both found out that they were starving.   
Behind the door, Tomoyo was taping everything. 'They're finally together.' She smiled happily.  
Then the phone rang. Sakura got up from Syaoran's lap and tried to walk towards it. But before she could get it, she fell onto the ground. "I got it." Syaoran said as he reached for the phone. "Moshi moshi?" He spoke into it. "Nani? We're on our way." He hung up the phone and spoke to Tomoyo and Sakura. "That was Kero. Something's happened. Fires are starting all over town."  
*************** 


	5. chapter 5

Chapter 5  
(....)=author talking  
'......'=character thinking  
"..."=character talking  
  
Sakura nodded. "Let's go then." She started to get up. "Iie." Syaoran and Tomoyo said at once. Sakura looked at them. "Doushite?" Syaoran took her hands and looked straight in her eyes. "I, I don't want you to get hurt anymore. You stay here. Tomoyo, you stay with her. I'll handle it."   
"Demo..." Sakura tried to argue, but Syaoran put his finger on her lips and kissed her, gently. She looked up at him. Syaoran carried Sakura up to the room he spent the night in last night. "Stay here." Then he ran out the door, but not before saying, "Ashiteru, Sakura." "Ashiteru....Syaoran." Sakura whispered after him.   
*************  
"Where's Sakura?" Keroberos asked Syaoran as he ran out the door. "She need to rest. She got hurt badly last night. Let's hurry." He started to run. "Do you even know where you're going?" Kero asked him. "uh.." I didn't think of that...Kuso! "Climb on my back." Syaoran looked at him. "Just do it," Kero growled. He got on and they flew off in search of the card.  
  
In the window, Sakura watched them leave. 'They don't know where they're going.' She thought to herself. "Tomoyo, get your camera and let's go!" She said to Tomoyo. "Nani? Go where?" She asked. "To capture the card."   
Sakura replied.  
"But, Syaoran told us..." Tomoyo stammered. Sakura looked at her. "Syaoran and Keroberos don't know where it is. I do. Let's go!" Finally, Tomoyo nodded. "Let's go."   
****************  
"It's here. I can feel it." They stopped in front of a burning building. Sakura stopped and turned to Tomoyo. "Hayaku. Hide. I'll take care of this." She turned back to the building, then noticed a little child, no older then 3, right in front. A giant block of the building was about to fall onto him.   
"NNNOOOOO!!!" Sakura threw herself onto the child and protected it from being burned. But in turn, got burnt badly herself. She dragged herself back to Tomoyo. "Tomoyo. Watch him." She dropped the child into Tomoyo's hands. Sakura...please be careful... Tomoyo thought as she watched her walk up to the burning building.  
"Firey! Windy!  
Return to your powers confined!  
The clow cards returned to their card form and flew into Sakura's hands. Sakura looked at them then commanded Water to stop the fire. When it did, she told it to return and she looked at Tomoyo for a second and their eyes met. Sakura smiled and Tomoyo watched as she fell.   
"Sakura? SAKURA!!" Frantically Tomoyo hoped that Kero still had the cellphone she gave him. She dialed the number. "Kero? Hayaku!! Please! Sakura caught the two cards that were doing mischief, but she...she. Just hurry!" Her tone was so panicked that she didn't know what to do.   
Keroberos and Syaoran arrived in about two seconds. Syaoran jumped off Keroberos' back. "Sakura? SAKURA!!" He ran up to her. She was hardly breathing and her body was once again covered with burns. But this time, it was worst. 'How could this happen?' He lifted her up in his arms again. 'I told her to stay at Tomoyo's house.' "What happened to her?" He asked Tomoyo. She was still holding the child.   
Tomoyo rambled out everything as tears ran down her eyes. "Sakura, she...said that you didn't know where it was, and that she did. So she...ran up to the building and saw that a giant part of the building was about to fall on a little kid, so...."   
She broke of, sobbing harder then usual. She continued, "she... took off and protected the child with herself then crawled from under the block and caught the cards, and used the water card to stop the fire, and then....then...she just...fell. And didn't get back up."   
She sobbed harder. "She...was...soo...brave!! She didn't care..." *hiccup* "if she got injured....she protected the kid and...risked her own life...." She started crying again.   
Even Keroberos had tears running down his cheeks, for his mistress. Only Syaoran's eyes were not watery. 'I will get you! For all the things that you've done to Sakura. I'll get you for that!' He swore to Mioki.  
He turned to Tomoyo. "Call Sakura's brother, Touya. Tell him what happened. Tell him... that she'll stay at my place. I'll take care of her."  
Tomoyo sniffed then nodded. She reached for her phone. "One thing," he said. "Thanks." She smiled through all the tears. "No problem." As she dialed the number, Keroberos walked up to Syaoran. "Kid, let's go."   
"What are you-?" Syaoran looked at Kero weirdly. "Well, you can't carry Sakura all the way to your place. So hurry up and hop on." Syaoran turned red from embarrassment and also that he had forgotten that he got this far on Kero. "Ano...aa.." He sat on Kero's back. "Kiosukete ne, Tomoyo." Kero called out.   
She waved from the ground as he, Sakura and Syaoran flew into the sky. "Itterasshai!" She called back.   
As they left towards Syaoran's apartment, they could hear her calling Touya. "Moshi moshi, Touya-san?"   
***************  
"Take care of her, kid. I'll be back tomorrow." He growled, then flew off. "Hai..." Syaoran whispered. "Of course I will." He reached in his pocket to get his key. He unlocked the door and carried Sakura in and placed her on his bed. Once again, she seemed so helpless. 'So beautiful, yet fragile. I promise you that nothing and no one will harm you. Well, I guess I should cure the burns first.... Hmm...'   
Suddenly he blushed. He knew that there were more burns on her body, but most of them were covered with the suit that Tomoyo had made. She had a long, pink skirt on with a short black top. Over the top piece, she had a small jacket on. All parts of the suit were covered with sparkles and stars. 'She looks....so...kirei. Maybe thats the reason I have to protect her. And also why I love her.' Syaoran smiled in his daydream. Then he snapped back to reality.   
'Oh great. Oh am I supposed to do this?' He took a deep breath, then turned Sakura onto her back as lightly as possible. He could feel his face turn red, as he pulled Sakura's top up just a bit. Just enough to put some salve over the many burns she had received. Then he spread the salve on her arms, legs and neck.  
"Sakura. Why did you do it?" He whispered. But in his heart, he already knew. It was because she cared. She cared about everyone. She wouldn't want anyone to be hurt because of her. And the Clow Cards were her responsibility.   
When he finished, he turned Sakura on her back. She looked so peaceful. He wanted to just sit there and watch her the whole night. But he had to finish putting the salve on her wounds. Or they would never leave. He began to notice a pattern. Everynight they went out to battle the Clow Cards that Mioki had stolen, but everynight Mioki won. Using only The Firey Card.   
Sakura had told him about how much stronger she was when The Firey Card was used. "It seemed... invincible." She whispered to him. But now that Sakura had captured The Firey Card, she only had one more element card to recapture, then her power would be at the full strength. Without all of them, Mioki would defeat her easily. He thought some more as got up from the chair he was sitting on. He walked into the kitchen to make dinner.   
****************  
"Where is Sakura these days?" Touya asked his father, Fujitakak. "She hasn't been home since Friday." Fujitakak smiled. "So...big brother worried about his little sister?" He asked. "Nani?...Iie...hai.. She's spending a lot of time with that gaki." As he said the nickname he always gave Syaoran, he scrowled.   
"Hmm...sounds like Sakura has a boyfriend." Fujitakak said, still smiling. He didn't mind. He was glad to see his daughter grow up. "Humph!" was all Touya said. Then he walked to his room.   
Fujitakak knew where Sakura was. He knew about the powerful magic she had. He knew...from his wife. Natasha. (Sakura and Touya's mother.) She had passed away, but she remained at Fujitakak's side. She told him all about the things that Sakura went through. As much as he'd like to save her from the responsibility, he had no choice but to let her continue. He knew that she had saved a little kid from being hurt badly. He was proud of her. 'Sakura, I'm proud of you.'  
****************  
"Sakura. Sakura. I'm proud of you." Sakura had come into a different world. I must be dreaming. She relaxed. Then she heard that voice... "Sakura. Sakura. I'm proud of you." It said again.   
"Dare?" She whispered. "Who are you?" Please, oh please don't be a ghost. Sakura was deathly afraid of ghosts ever since her oniichan, Touya talked to invisible people. That was a long time ago. But ever since that, she was afraid of them. She remembered saying once to Kero and Tomoyo why she was afraid of them. "Clow Cards are different. I can sense them. But ghosts. They appear of out nowhere. I can't sense them. They sneak up on people."   
'Please, oh please don't be a ghost.' She wished again.   
"Sakura. It is not your time to leave this world. You must return to Syaoran." The voice sounded...familiar. Like she heard it before. A long time ago. "Okaasan?" she whispered softly. "Yes, my Sakura." The voice replied. A form floated towards Sakura. It was her mother. Dressed in a long white dress. Surrounded by many beautiful flowers.   
"Okaasan!" She ran to her mother and hugged her hard. "Sakura." Her mother hugged her back. Equally as hard. "Mother...Doushite? Why did you have to leave us?" Sakura started to cry softly. "Doushite?" Her mother replied her, "I never left you. I'm at your side. Always. I have never left you, your father, or Touya." She said these words gently.   
"There is no time, Sakura." Her mother said aruptly but gently. "Syaoran is worried. You've been sleeping for 2 days. And in these 2 days, Syaoran has never left your side. You must return to him. He loves you."   
"Nani? Demo...what about school?" Sakura asked. She knew that Syaoran loved her. She loved him too. But there were many unanswered questions. She couldn't leave yet.   
Sensing that Sakura would not leave until she got answers, Natasha (her mother) answered one. The one she thought was most important. "Ever since your classmates and everyone else heard about how you risked your life to save the little child, thats all people have been talking about. They've been honoring you. And also praying that you would get better. This is why you must return. Also, Syaoran will become ill, if you do not."   
Iie! Syaoran, I'm coming back! "Hai!" She said, then hesitated before she asked her last question. "Okaasan... will... will I ever see you again?" She looked up at her mother's soft emerald eyes. And she knew where she got her eyes from. "I hope so...my daughter. Gambatte Kudasai! Goodbye!" "Good...bye." As Sakura said that she felt tears run down her eyes again. I will see you again. Mother. But now...Syaoran! I'm coming back!  
******************  
"Syaoran...."  
Syaoran was just about to sleep when he heard a voice. A tiny voice. 'It sounded like....it can't be...' "Syaoran.." It called again. It wasn't very strong. 'It had to be...'   
"Sakura?!" His eyes snapped open. "Sakura! You're awake!" He almost cried for joy. He knelt down beside his bed, where Sakura lay. She smiled up at him. "Syaoran. Gomen ne."   
"Doushite?" He smiled. His eyes filled with tears of joy that threatened to fall.   
"Sorry...that I didn't stay at Tomoyo's.... I'm sorry...that...you had to worry about me." She said, blinking back the tears.   
"Sakura, never be sorry about things like that. It's not your fault. You did the right thing. The little child needed you." She smiled again. Just looking at that smile, his whole life brightened.   
"Sakura. I was worried....So very worried." He hugged her hard. "Don't ever do that again." He whispered as the tears did fall down. She nodded as tears fell down from her eyes also. He took her into his arms. All of a sudden she noticed that she was not wearing her own clothes. She looked down at herself.   
She was wearing a blue buttoned shirt that was a bit too big and a pair of Syaoran's pants. She looked at Syaoran's face and noticed that it was red. "Gomen...." He started to say. "It's okay." She interrupted. Then she felt the urge to kiss him. She resisted, not knowing what he would think. 'Would he love me back? Or will he leave me? No....I shouldn't tell him....not yet....I don't want him to hate me.....' She thought.   
Syaoran could see Sakura trying to fight herself. 'Whats happening in her mind?' He thought, then as soon as the frown came, it left and Sakura smiled a tiny smile, but Syaoran knew it was fake. "Let's go eat." He said, helping her up. Sakura nodded and they walked into the kitchen and made dinner.  
When they finished, Sakrau asked, "Do you think you can go to school tomorrow?" Syaoran asked as they were getting ready for bed. "Well...hai. I want to see everyone. I'll take it easy. Don't worry about me." She smiled. "Silly. Of course I will always worry. I don't ever want you to get hurt." Syaoran replied.   
  
The realization that he only had one bed came to both of them as they both finished their showers. (Seperately. Syaoran being the gentleman, let Sakura go first.) "Well....we could....share?" Sakura suggested. They had done that before a couple times, and it wasn't new to them. "It's fine with me." Syaoran said, but he blushed. Sakura smiled. She seemed to be doing that a lot. Syaoran smiled back.   
They both got into bed and stared at the ceiling. Finally, it was Sakura that broke the silence. "Syaoran, what happened when I was...sleeping?" He looked into her eyes. "Nothing really. You'll find out tomorrow." There was silence once again. "Ne....what did Touya and Otousan say about me staying at your place?"   
"They were okay with it. I think. Your Otousan seemed to know all about the accident and didn't mind that I took care of you." Silence...   
"Oh. I'm glad." She shifted closer to Syaoran and laid her head upon his bare chest. "Mmhmmm..." She sighed. "Oyasumi, Syaoran." Then she fell asleep.   
"Oyasumi, Sakura." He pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head.   
************** 


	6. chapter 6

Chapter 6  
(....)=author talking  
'......'=character thinking  
"..."=character talking  
  
"Sakura! Syaoran! You're back!" Sakura was so relieved when she got to her class. She had taken to hiding behind Syaoran the whole morning. It seemed that everyone knew about the 'terrific save' that she did for the little kid. Eveyone used extra care to make her feel welcomed. But all that welcoming was getting a bit....annoying. She liked all her friends, but she didn't expect all this to happen.   
Once she got to her seat, she slouched down, hoping that no one would notice her. "Sakura! Syaoran! Okaeri!" Sakura groaned. "Konnichi wa, Tomoyo." Tomoyo walked up to her desk and sat right beside. "Daijoubu desu ka?" She looked concerned.   
"I'm fine, Tomoyo." She turned back to Syaoran and smiled. He blushed a bit. "So....what happened when you were asleep? Did you get any dreams?" Tomoyo asked. Syaoran leaned forward, as if interested. "Well...aa...."   
But before she could explain about it, Terada-sensei walked in. "Ohayo!" He called out. "Ohayo, Terada-sensei!" The whole class replied. "Before we go straight to our math, I would like to welcome Syaoran and Sakura back. Sakura, Syaoran, stand please." Sakura looked surprised. She and Syaoran stood and bowed to the class.   
"Okaeri!!" The whole class said. Sakura blushed and she could see that Syaoran did too. "Hmm...something must have happened in between this, for them to blush so red." Someone in the class whispered out loudly. The class laughed and they turned even more red.   
"Ok class. Settle down. Turn to your mathbooks, page 284."  
****************  
In every class, their friends and the teachers wanted to welcome them. They treated Sakura like a hero. (Which she was...but being the modest type that she was...) "Ne...this is embarrassing." Sakura remarked to Tomoyo and Syaoran at lunch. They were sitting under the sakura tree. They both listened while Sakura told them about her mother. "She also said that you were going to be ill if I didn't come back fast." She turned to Syaoran. He looked down and mumbled. "Well, I was feeling a bit...sickish...."   
"A bit ill? You should have taken care of yourself first." Sakura looked at him wide-eyed. "I couldn't. Not while you were still asleep." He smiled. "I'm glad." Sakura hugged him. And he hugged her back.   
The bell rang.   
DDDIIIINNNNGGGG!!!!!  
"Lets go. We have gym next and I want to see if I can handle it." Sakura said to Syaoran as they walked towards the gym. "You can't." He protested. "You still need to take it easy."   
"Don't worry about me, Syaoran-kun." She smiled at his concern. "I'll be fine."   
  
She walked into the gym with Tomoyo. "I still don't think you should do this." Tomoyo warned. "Don't worry." Sakura laughed.   
She walked up to the mats and did a bunch of amazing acrobatic flips that even the circus people couldn't beat. "Excellent!" The whole class was watching, and now they applauded like crazy. "She still hasn't lost it." She heard Rita exclaim to Tomoyo. "Aaa."  
****************  
After the welcome home of her family, Sakura walked into her bedroom. She hadn't been in there for a while and everything looked the same. Except for the decorations that Tomoyo and Kero had put up. "Sakura!" Kero flew to her, upon seeing her open the door. "Wow. I sure like this decorating." Sakura exclaimed after looking around her room. "Do you? It was my idea." Sakura smiled. "Arigatou." Kero smiled.   
***************  
"Sakura! Wake up or you'll be late!" Sakura's otousan called from the kitchen.   
"AGAIN..." A certain brother remarked loudly.  
"HOOEEE!!" Sakura yelled as she fell off her bed. "Kero-chan! Doushite... Why didn't you wake me up? I'm gonna be late! And we're going on a camping trip!" She didn't wait for him to answer. She ran out the door full speed, grabbing her bags in the process.   
"Dewa mata, Touya! Otousan!" She yelled.  
She heard her otousan yell for her to be careful. "I will!" She sang out then dashed to the bus using the dash card.   
"Kinomoto, I see you finally decided to grace us with you presense." The sensei remarked as Sakura almost ran him over to get in the bus. "Gomen...nasai...sensei." She said out of breath.   
"Take a seat." Was all she said.   
Sakura walked in and saw Tomoyo waving wildly. "Ohayo Sakura-chan!" She sang out. Sakura said ohayo back to Tomoyo-chan.  
In the seat behind her sat Syaoran and Yamazaki. "Did you know..." Yamazaki started to say one of his stories to Syaoran and Sakura when Chiharu appeared and covered his mouth with her hand.   
Everyone sweatdropped. Then Sakura said hi to Syaoran. "Ohayo Syaoran-kun!" She said happily, her emerald eyes sparkling. Syaoran lost himself in her glance and fell off his seat. 'She's so...kirei!!!!!'  
Tomoyo took one look at Syaoran and knew what was happening.   
"And Sakura-chan strikes again! This time she was able to down the one and only Li-kun....What will happen next?" Yamazaki said in an sports announcer voice. Everyone on the bus laughed.   
Sakura blushed, and turned to Tomoyo hoping for some help. She didn't find any as she discovered herself staring into the lenses of a camcorder. "Tomoyo-chan..." She wailed. "I need help. Syaoran's really fainted." But no help came to her. She gently placed Syaoran's head on her lap and shook him.   
"Syaoran-kun? Daijobou desu ka?" She asked. Syaoran snapped out of his daydream. "Eeto...S-Sakura-chan... Daijobou desu..." He blushed out. "Thats good." She smiled then helped him back to his seat. The students cheered.   
For the rest of the ride, Tomoyo, Sakura and Syaoran talked quietly about Mioki and tried to think of a plan to defeat her.   
**************** 


	7. chapter 7

Chapter 7  
(....)=author talking  
'......'=character thinking  
"..."=character talking  
  
"Sakura-chan? What's wrong?" Chiharu asked her at lunch. She and her friends were sitting at the fire. They had already settled into their cabins and they were having a barbeque. Sakura was staring out into the ocean as she did once they got to the site. 'Something's out there. I can feel it. It's definetely Mioki. But there are too many people around now. I can't get there until later.' She thought to herself. 'Unless.....'  
She was thinking of the dream she had. This was to be the last element card. It would be the final battle between Mioki and her. She was afraid yet anxious to begin and end it.   
"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked her. She still stayed in her trance-like...(something..i dunno) thingy.   
"Sakura-chan!" Chiharu was tired of asking so she just burst out loud.   
"H-hai?" Sakura turned her attention to her friends. "What's wrong?" They asked.   
"N-nandemonai..." She looked back towards the sea. 'Something is really wrong,' Tomoyo thought. "I have an idea." She explained what to do to her friends. "First, we'll get Syaoran and then..." There were nods of agreement as they rushed off to put the plan to action. They all left her alone, but Sakura didn't mind. She enjoyed the silence. It let her work her plan...  
  
Meanwhile Tomoyo was trying to make the still blushing Syaoran help them with the convincing help (which is not much) of Chiharu and Yamazaki. Syaoran blushed even more red at what they wanted him to do in front of everyone. He never liked attention.  
"You know-" Yamazaki started but Chiharu grabbed him and dragged him off to somewhere unknown to us. (Or you) "Please, Li-kun...Something's wrong with Sakura-chan, but she won't tell us what. You're the only one she'll talk to." Tomoyo's voice lowered to a whisper. "I think it might have to do with the last Clow Card." She said.  
"Ohh..." Syaoran said. "Demo-" He started to protest again.   
"Just do it!" It was Chiharu. She pulled and pushed him towards Sakura, who was still staring at the ocean, totally oblivious to what her friends were doing.   
"Um...Ano...Sakura-chan?" Syaoran walked up to Sakura and said. Then he felt the presence of a Clow Card. 'Nani?' He asked himself. He looked towards Sakura. She didn't seem to move much. She was still staring into the sea. "Sakura?" He asked.  
Sakura turned towards him. It wasn't Sakura but the mirror card. "Syaoran-kun..." The mirror card whispered. "My mistress felt Mioki's presence. She ran off and left me here to make sure no one sees her gone." She explained to him.   
Syaoran nodded. 'That's why see seemed so distant. She felt Mioki's presence and wanted to make sure that no one got hurt, so she distracted her away.' He saw the mirror card looking at him strangely and stopped daydreaming. 'I'm doing that a lot.' He apologized to the mirror card.   
"Can you make a copy of me as well?" He asked her. When the mirror card nodded, he explained to her what he was going to do. "I'll find Sakura and make sure she's alright." He said.  
The mirror card nodded again. "Good luck." She whispered. "Hai." Syaoran nodded and ran off into the forest.   
  
"What are they doing?" Chiharu asked her friends. They were standing behind a few trees watching the "couple". Then they saw Syaoran run off.   
"NANI??!!" Naoko yelled.  
"And he didn't even kiss her!" Chiharu yelled out.   
Tomoyo understood. 'It's a Clow Card. That's the mirror card, not Sakura. She must be fighting Mioki now. Good luck, Sakura. Syaoran. I wish I was there to tape it all....' She thought.   
"Tomoyo? Are you okay?" Her friends asked her.   
Tomoyo sweatdropped. "H-hai!" She asked. "I'm fine." Then she looked towards the forest determined. 'I'm gonna go find Syaoran.' She thought as she ran off.  
"Man...everyone's got something wrong with them..." Chiharu watched as Tomoyo ran away. Naoko and Rika nodded, silently.  
****************  
"Let's end this now!!" Sakura yelled out around her. "Come on, Mioki. I know you're there. Come out!!" Sakura had left the mirror card at the campsite hoping that no one will know the difference. She knew that Tomoyo and Syaoran would eventually get there. 'If I don't make it, I love you.' She thought out to Syaoran.  
Mioki stepped into the light. She was wearing all black. Black shirt, black skirt, black makeup. Her eyes shining red. It made her look slightly like a ghost and slightly like a goth.   
She grinned, showing pointy teeth to Sakura. "Very well." She said.   
Sakura got into a defensive stance. "Gimme me Clow Card back!" She yelled.  
"You'll have to beat me first." Mioki countered.  
"Fine. Let's get started." Sakura said and took out her wand. She mumbled the spell and it instantly became a big staff.  
Mioki crouched down and thus began the fight. 


	8. chapter 8

Chapter 8  
(....)=author talking  
'......'=character thinking  
"..."=character talking  
  
'Come on...Sakura, where are you?' Syaoran panted as he ran through the forest. Then he heard someone call his name.  
"Li-kun? Li-kun? Are you there?" It was Tomoyo. She ran up to him and stopped to catch her breath. "Let me guess..." He said. "You want to tape it."   
"Of course!! It will be one of Sakura's greatest accomplishments! I'll call it Cardcaptor versus Cardcaptor." Her eyes had stars in them as she pictured what she could do with Sakura. The dresses, outfits... 'opps...' She grinned sheepishly as she saw Syaoran staring at her weird.  
"She said something like it's close to a cave... or something like that." She told him as they walked deeper into the forest. Syaoran nodded. "There should be one close." He said.   
Then he heard a voice in his head. 'If I don't make it, I love you.' It was Sakura.   
'Sakura, please be alright.' He thought.  
******************  
'Sakura, please be alright.' Sakura heard this in her head. She didn't know when they developed a link, but she knew it was Syaoran. She smiled slightly. 'I will win.' She thought to herself. 'I won't let you down Syaoran.' She took out a card. "Sword!" She yelled out and her wand became a sword. The silver gleamed brightly and reflected the sunlight off it.  
She watched as Mioki conjured her own sword. It was a black sword. Sakura knew instantly that she would have a hard time fighting because Mioki's sword didn't reflect light.  
Mioki started the attack first. She rasied her sword and lunged towards Sakura. Sakura blocked it but Mioki sent more power to her next thrust and managed to cut her left arm and her left cheek badly. She raised her sword again and was about it send it to Sakura's head when Sakura raised her own blade and blocked it.  
'She's strong.' Mioki thought as Sakura gritted her teeth and then with all her strength, flung Mioki into a tree, knocking the sword away.  
Green leaves started floating down from the tree branches.   
Mioki stood up and took out the last Sakura card. She smirked as she tossed the card in the air. "Thunder! Strike down that girl!" She ordered Thunder, whom had appeared from the card.   
Mioki smiled. 'NOW I have her.' She thought to herself.   
Sakura got ready, closed her eyes and crouched down, waiting for the attack to come.   
But the attack didn't.   
Mioki gaped at the card. "Obey me!" She yelled at it.  
Sakura opened her eyes. Mioki was in rage. The Thunder beast seemed to have stopped right in front of Sakura. It raised it's head and looked at Sakura in the eyes.  
Sakura stared at it back and then realized. 'It must know that I'm it's rightful owner.' Sakura thought to herself.  
Thunder looked at her with pleading eyes and walked over. It seemed to wait for Sakura to command it. Sakura smiled then nodded. 'Go Thunder.' She thought. She watched as Thunder read her mind and turned. It crouched, bared it's teeth and got ready to attack at Sakura's feet.   
"So." Sakura yelled to Mioki. "Are you ready to lose?" She asked, smiling. "Thunder has joined me." Sakura patted Thunder's spicky head.   
It growled in response, enjoying Sakura's touch.  
Mioki smirked. "Hah! You may have your Clow Cards, but I'm more powerful then you!" She yelled back. She somersaulted over to her sword as Thunder zapped right where she was standing a second ago. Mioki grabbed her sword and picked it up.   
Sakura gritted her teeth as Mioki came for a second shot. She ducked quickly as Mioki tried to chop her head off, but missed the tiny detail that gave Mioki the upperhand. She kicked Sakura in the stomach and Sakura went flying back into a giant oak tree. Thunder stood by not knowing how to attack without getting it's mistress hurt also.  
"SAKURA!"  
Sakura turned her head slightly without looking away from Mioki and saw Syaoran and Tomoyo looking at her with horror on their faces. She knew that she looked horrible. She had cuts and bruises all over her arms and legs. Her clothes were slashed and ripped in different places and her left arm and cheek wore a giant gash. But her face wore a smile. A grim smile, but a smile nonetheless.  
Mioki looked worst then Sakura did. When Sakura had flung her into a tree, she had flung her into a branch that was half snapped, making a perfect spear-like point. She had a deep gash on her back. She had scrapes and bruises all over her arms and legs as well. Her leg was wounded by a long cut.   
"Sakura! Are you alright?" Syaoran and Tomoyo ran up to her, ignoring the danger. Syaoran took out his hankerchief and wiped the blood from Sakura's cheek, while Tomoyo tried to bind the wound on her arm.  
"Get away from here!" Sakura growled, her eyes never leaving Mioki. She shook them loose and stood up painfully, still holding the sword.   
"Sakura?! What are you doing?" She heard Syaoran ask her. He walked up to her and gripped her tightly.  
"I'm sorry, Syaoran-kun. It's for your own good." She said under her breath. Calling as little power so that she won't hurt Syaoran much, she prepared to fling him away.   
She didn't have much choice because at that time Mioki decided to throw fireballs towards them.  
Sakura saw them on time and flung Syaoran and Tomoyo away. "I'm sorry." She whispered as she took the fireballs. She staggered to her feet and took a defensive stance and once again faced Mioki.  
Just before Syaoran lost consciousness, he heard Sakura's voice, "I'm sorry." She said. Then all he could see is black.  
"Let's go!" Mioki said, brandishing her sword. Sakura held her sword up as well. 'This is going to be one hard fight.' She thought. 'We seem to be evenly matched.' She stopped thinking as Mioki flung herself onto Sakura, chopping this way and that way.  
Sakura jumped and dodged out of the way and sliced Mioki's shoulder.   
Mioki fell back wincing at the pain. Sakura smiled slightly. 'We ARE evenly matched.' She thought. She looked over at Tomyo and Syaoran. Both were still unconscious. 'If I lose...' She thought. 'They will die as well...' She glared back Mioki who was trying to bind her wound. 'You will not win!' She took the chance to slash at Mioki again. Mioki tried to attack back but shoulder's wound was too painful. She fell down still gripping her sword tightly.   
Sakura stood over her. She raised her sword high and...  
In desperate measures to stay alive, Mioki sliced Sakura's stomach.   
"Itai!" Sakura sank to the ground holding her stomach in one hand and her wand in the other. 'Grr... I'll get you for that!' Sakura yelled in her brain. She ignored the firey pain and stood up slowly.  
Mioki looked at her and saw Sakura's eyes harden. But she could not move. It seemed as if there was a spell on Mioki. She could not move her body.   
"Now, Sakura!" A voice yelled out. It was Syaoran. He had used an orfuda to summon up the wind to contain Mioki. She never knew that Syaoran was strong enough to freeze her in one spot. The boy's eyes were filled with fire and concern as he saw Sakura standing up, trying to hold back a very big wound.   
Mioki looked back at Sakura, suddenly afraid. 'I never should've threatened that boy. Their powers seem to grow when they are protecting each other.' She watched as Sakura held her sword up a second time and plunged it into Mioki's stomach. "I'll get you, Sakura Kinomoto. Nothing will stop me." She hissed before she disappeared into the air.  
Sakura watched as she saw Mioki's face smirk. The Thunder card returned to it's card form and flew back into Sakura's outreached hand.  
Sakura was confused as to why Mioki would be smiling, but she didn't have time to think about it because the sudden realization that she used up all her energy came to her and she fell onto the ground unconscious.... 


	9. end...or is it?

Chapter 9  
(....)=author talking  
'......'=character thinking  
"..."=character talking  
  
"Sakura!" Syaoran called out as soon as Sakura fell to the ground. "Sakura?" He asked, running up to her. She didn't move one bit. "Oh no..." Beside him, Tomoyo ran up to her as well.   
"Sakura-chan?" They reached her and shook her a little, while trying to stop the bleeding. She didn't wake up. "Sakura!" They shook her a bit more. They splashed a bit of water on her face, from the ocean. Nothing worked.   
Syaoran then picked Sakura up in his arms and held her gently, being careful of her wounds.   
"Come on." He told Tomoyo. They walked back to the campsite and hid the real Sakura, while the fake on stayed in the real one's place. Syaoran told their teacher that he was feeling sick and that he was going to go home, while Tomoyo said that she was going to take Syaoran home.   
Tomoyo called her bodyguards and they came with a van to pick them up and Sakura. They waved to their classmates as they drove out.   
Syaoran held onto Sakura's hand to whole time and didn't want to let go.   
Tomoyo's bodyguards drove past Tomoyo's big mansion to Syaoran's apartment. Syoanra carried her to his room and laid her down on the bed. Tomoyo got his first-aid kit out and together they started to bind Sakura's wounds, with Syaoran never letting go of her hand.   
When they finished, Tomoyo could tell that Syaoran wanted some time alone with her. She excused herself saying that she needed to go home. Before she walked out of Syaoran's apartment, she phoned Sakura's father saying that she was sleeping over at her house.  
During all that time, Syaoran sat at Sakura's side. "Sakura..." He whispered, hoping that Sakura would hear his pleas. It was no use though. Sakura had lost too much energy and blood to be awake. "Please, don't leave me...." He cried softly beside her the whole time and eventually cried himself to sleep.   
***************  
Everyday Syaoran woke up full of energy until he saw Sakura. She still hadn't woken up since the battle with Mioki. That was many days ago and she still didn't budge one bit.   
"I know you'll come back to me, Sakura..." Syaoran said softly, although the fear that she won't kept popping up in his head. 'What if she doesn't?' He thought. 'Don't think like that! Sakura loves me, I love her. Of course she'll come back to me.' He tried to push the thought away in the back of his head. But it kept on coming to haunt him.  
'If she doesn't....I...I can't live without her...oh god....what will I do?' The tears started pouring down his cheeks. "Oh god, Sakura.....Please come back...to me..." He held her tightly and buried his head in her chest. "Don't leave me....Sakura...I can't...won't bare it......"  
***************  
"Hoe?" Sakura wondered around in an unknown place. Everything was silent...mute...   
"Where am I?" She asked to no one in particular. She looked around and saw that she was in a green room. It seemed very familiar. 'It's...Syaoran's room!' She thought to herself.   
She looked down at her feet to see herself floating above the bed. She looked closely and saw Syaoran holding on tightly to a girl. The girl had light golden-brown hair that wisped out around her neck. She had wounds all over her body, as if she was in a fight a few days ago and didn't heal back yet. Her eyes were closed so Sakura couldn't see who....  
'Waitaminute!....That's....me?!' She looked closely and saw that indeed it was her. 'But...what am I doing up here?' She thought to herself.  
"Oh god, Sakura.....Please come back...to me..." He held her tightly and buried his head in her chest. "Don't leave me....Sakura...I can't...won't bare it......" She heard Syaoran cry out. This was the second time that she saw Syaoran cry, but it still shocked her to see the tears running down his eyes.  
"Syaoran?" She asked, but he didn't even notice her. "Syaoran-kun!!" She yelled, but it was no use. He couldn't hear her.   
"Oh...Syaoran...I want to come back...you know I do...I won't ever leave you..." She cried out softly. "I can't bare it either..."   
At her words, a blinding light came towards Sakura. She closed her eyes briefly and felt herself move from one place to another.   
Then all of a sudden, she felt warm. Sakura opened her eyes and saw Syaoran still crying in her arms.   
"Syaoran?" She asked softly, grimacing at the pain, but bearing it. "I won't ever leave you..."  
At the sound of her voice, Syaoran looked up. "Sakura!" He hugged her even more tightly. "You're awake!" He exclaimed happily, still crying.  
"Syaoran, why are you crying?" She asked. "I'm back. I'm fine." She said softly, wiping his tears away.  
Syaoran didn't answer her. He just smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. Sakura kissed back happily. As they broke away, Sakura fell back onto the bed, holding her stomach, groaning.  
"Sakura! Are you okay?" Sayoran asked concerned. 'What is happening now?' He thought.  
Sakura smiled weakly and tried to answer him. "I'm...fine...Syaoran-kun... I'm just...feeling a bit...weak..." She gasped out.   
Then Syaoran remembered her wounds. "Gomen-" He started to say, but Sakura stopped him. "Don't be sorry....It's not...your fault..." She said, holding his hand tightly as more pain came.  
"But I should've been there. I should've been the one to take the pain." He protested.  
"No...It was...my fight only....I had to prove...that...I was good...enough..." When Syaoran started protesting again, she held a slim finger to his lips. "Shh...I had....to...prove....to myself that....I can...protect....myself." She gasped out, her breath slowing down a bit. She sank into the pillows. "Thank you...Syaoran." The pain in her stomach subsided slightly.   
Syaoran noticed that she needed more sleep. He held her hand and sang her to sleep with his deep voice.   
Sakura smiled blissfully and drifted off into dreamland. 'I got the lost cards back...' She thought happily.  
~*~*~*~THE END~*~*~*~  
  
  
Or is it?  
  
"Damn you Kinomoto! I'll get you, and your precious Syaoran too!!" 


End file.
